Ammunition booster

ABSTRACT

A feed mechanism which comprises a rigid booster chute having an angular bend, a stop plate, having an upper side, inserted in the angular bend so as to form a 90* corner around which ammunition rounds cannot be pushed by a booster mechanism alone; and a bumper attached to the side whereby the bumper and stop plate are inserted into the angular bend of the rigid booster chute to absorb impact energy of ammunition rounds which strike the stop plate during passage through the angular bend without damaging a weapon by feeding directly into it.

United States Patent 1 3,706,255

Magnuson [451 Dec. 19,1972

[54] AMMUNITION BOOSTER 2,525,765 10/1950 Betge ..221/261 72 Inventor: RI d A. M S ttl W h. 1 0 an agnuson ea e as Primary ExaminerBenjamin A.Borchelt [73] Assignee: The United States of America as AssistantExaminerH. J. Tudor represented by the Secretary of the AttorneyHarry M.Saragovitz, Edward J. Kelly, Her- Army bert Berl and Robert M. Lyon [22]Filed: Aug. 20, 1970 Appl. No.: 65,558

11.8. CI. "86/1, 86/26, 89/33 E Int. Cl ..C06b 21/02, F42b 33/10 Fieldof Search..,..56/26, l, 27; 89/33 E, 33 EA;

[57] ABSTRACT A feed mechanism which comprises a rigid booster chutehaving an angular bend, a stop plate, having an upper side, inserted inthe angular bend so as to'form a 90 corner around which ammunitionrounds cannot "be pushed by a booster mechanism alone; and a bumperattached to the side whereby the bumper and stop plate are inserted intothe angular bend of the rigid booster chute to absorb impact energy ofammunition rounds which strike the stop plate during passage through theangular bend without damaging a weapon by feeding directly into it.

7 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention The present invention pertains to feeding mechanisms forautomatic firearms and more particularly to a novel and improved meansof utilizing an ammunition booster in rapid fire weapon in such a way asto prevent ammunition from jamming the weapon feed system.

2. Description of the Prior Art All the prior art feeding mechanismshave failed to provide any compensable means where the ammunition fedinto the firearm is controlled and without jamming the ammunition beltduring deceleration. All known feeding mechanisms for firearms have nomeans of presenting asurface in spaced angular relationship to thedirection of the force on the rounds extended by the feeder mechanism.No control has been made available in the field of ammunition feedermechanisms which would absorb the impact energy of rounds striking therigid control devices utilized in automatic firearms.

In a device for cartridge magazine of a gun comprising one or morevertical cartridge compartments in which the cartridges are linked inone vertical row with longitudinal axis of each cartridge extendinghorizontally, and the cartridges are fed out of the compartmentupwardly, by the booster sprocket, a stop plate was provided which wouldcontrol the movement of these cartridges. To prevent the jamming ofammunition rounds in the feeding mechanism of a firearm the weapon feedmechanism should be allowed to pull in one round at a time out of theflexible chute and thus avoiding jamming of rounds by the steady forceof the feeder sprocket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The cartridges in the conveyor channel,referred to hereinafter as booster chute, are moved by the pressure ofthe succeeding cartridges which are brought along by the conveyor meansand upon striking the stop plate are stopped until needed by the weaponfeeder system. The stop plate provides a 90 corner which the roundscannot negotiate without help from the weapon feed mechanism. Throughthis arrangement, as a round is pulled out of the 90 corner by theweapon feed mechanism, the following round, driven by the sprocket,strikes the stop plate with considerable momentum. This impact energy isdissipated by allowing the stop plate limited rotational movement aboutits pivot shaft and providing it with a resiliant bumper on its uppersurface where it reacts against the inner surface of the rigid boosterchute.

My invention provides a novel and improved device, which allows therigid booster chute to raise ammunition rounds to where it is within thepull capability of the weapon feed mechanism and also allows the weaponfeed mechanism to select one round at a time, as needed, rather thanhaving ammunition rounds forced into the weapon under a steady pressureof the ammunition booster. A stop plate is inserted in the angular bendof the rigid booster chute forming a corner around which the ammunitionrounds cannot be pushed by the booster alone. This novel conceptprevents the booster chute mechanism from causing damage to the weaponby feeding directly into it and 'the ammunition rounds which are thusstopped by the stop plate will slide one at a time around the 90 cornerwith each succeeding pull of the weapon feed mechanism. Other advantagesof the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art by the following description when considered in relation tothe accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The FIGURE is a longitudinal sectionalong the ammunition booster showing the embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention provides,in combination, a feed mechanism 10 which comprises a rigid boosterchute 12 having angular bend 13, a stop plate 14 with upper lip 15inserted and pivotally fastened in angular bend 13 by pivot shaft 22, orsimilar fastening, and bumper 16 made from rubber or other suitableshock absorbing material, attached to stop plate 14 at upper lip 15. Theentire combination of stop plate 14 and bumper 16 is inserted intoangular bend 13 of booster chute 12. As rounds 17 are moved into thefeeder system through booster chute 12, which holds linked ammunition 17in line, thus preventing it from buckling, they move around angular bend13 in booster chute 12 wherein stop plate 14 is connected and as rounds17 are pushed forward around the 90 corner provided by the stop plate,each exerts a force against stop plate 14 and is stopped until weaponfeed mechanism 10 pulls it out. Each time a round 17 makes contact withstop plate 14 it strikes it with much force. Without the novel bumper 16on upper lip 15 of stop plate 14 the impact energy would affectammunition feeder mechanism 10 and produce unnecessary friction oninside wall 19 of booster chute l2 and almost all parts of weapon 9 andfeed mechanism 10 as well. Attaching a bumper 16, preferably with somestrong adhesive used for rubber to metal or synthetic to metal adhesion,to upper lip 15 of stop plate 14 causes the impact energy to be absorbedby bumper l6 and ammunition 17 flow not to be interrupted or disturbed.

As shown in FIG. 1 ammunition rounds 17 are advariced one space at atime by sprocket 20, which is driven by a booster motor, not shown inthe drawing, inside rigid booster chute 12 where ammunition rounds areheld in line without buckling. As ammunition rounds 17 approach angularbend 13 in the rigid booster chute 12 they make contact in a spacedangular relationship with stop plate 14, thereby preventing the forceproduced by the booster motor from affecting cooperation with feedmechanism and a means for.

the orderly advancement of ammunition rounds 17 without the need for aspecial rate reducing device being installed.

A major advantage of bumper 16 affixed to stop plate 14, in the presentinvention resides in the elimination of the constant jamming of feedmechanism 10 on impact of advancing rounds 17 with stop plate 14 as theformerly unprotected stop plate 14 made with angular bend 13 of boosterchute 12.

l wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. An ammunition feed mechanism which comprises in combination a rigidbooster chute having an angular bend, a stop plate inserted in saidangular bend forming a 90 corner around which said corner ammunitionrounds cannot be pushed by the booster alone; a

bumper attached to upper sideof said stop plate whereby said bumper andsaid stop plate are inserted into said angular bend of said rigidbooster chute to absorb impact energy of ammunition rounds entering intoa weapon.

2 In an ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 1 saidammunition rounds which are stopped by said stop plate slide one at atime around said corner with each succeeding pull of weapon feedmechanism.

3. In an ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 1 said stopplate to which said bumper is attached is positioned at an angle whichpresents a surface in a spaced angular relationship to the direction ofthe force on the rounds exerted by the booster motor.

4. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim'3 whereby saidbumper is selected from a group of materials consisting of rubber,plastic, and other synthetics.

5. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 3 wherein saidangular bend is formed at an angle of about 35 to about 40.

6. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 3 wherein saidbumper is attached to said upper lip of said stop plate by means of anadhesive selected from a group consisting of epoxy resins, asphaltic,acrylic and polyurethane compounds.

7. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 2 wherein saidstop plate is bolted pivotally to said rigid booster chute.

1. An ammunition feed mechanism which comprises in combination a rigidbooster chute having an angular bend, a stop plate inserted in saidangular bend forming a 90* corner around which said corner ammunitionrounds cannot be pushed by the booster alone; a bumper attached to upperside of said stop plate whereby said bumper and said stop plate areinserted into said angular bend of said rigid booster chute to absorbimpact energy of ammunition rounds entering into a weapon.
 2. In anammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 1 said ammunition roundswhich are stopped by said stop plate slide one at a time around said 90*corner with each succeeding pull of weapon feed mechanism.
 3. In anammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 1 said stop plate towhich said bumper is attached is positioned at an angle which presents asurface in a spaced angular relationship to the direction of the forceon the rounds exerted by the booster motor.
 4. An ammunition feedmechanism as described in claim 3 whereby said bumper is selected from agroup of materials consisting of rubber, plastic, and other synthetics.5. An ammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 3 wherein saidangular bend is formed at an angle of about 35* to about 40*.
 6. Anammunition feed mechanism as described in claim 3 wherein said bumper isattached to said upper lip of said stop plate by means of an adhesiveselected from a group consisting of epoxy resins, asphaltic, acrylic andpolyurethane compounds.
 7. An ammunition feed mechanism as described inclaim 2 wherein said stop plate is bolted pivotally to said rigidbooster chute.